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If this was the U.S., there would probably be a statue of Wally Buono, the all-time winningest coach in the CFL, or, at least a street named after him.John Woods / THE CANADIAN PRESS

It overstates the point to say the B.C. Lions are in a crisis because, despite their forlorn attendance numbers, the Lions’ revenue streams are meeting their projected targets and the television numbers, which remains the CFL’s lifeline, are robust.

Still, if it isn’t time to panic, then at least its time to acknowledge there is cause for significant concern. When the Lions were losing and playing dull, unimaginative football, the presumption was their problems would be fixed if the on-field product was fixed.

Well, the Lions are averaging 30 points per game in 2016, they’ve uncovered a franchise quarterback in Jonathon Jennings and 10 of their 15 games have been decided in the final three minutes. And they’re still struggling at the gate.

On Saturday, the Edmonton Eskimos come to town for the Lions’ penultimate home game and a crucial showdown with playoff implications. A crowd in the low 20,000’s is expected, which is bad enough. What’s worse is it will be one of the larger crowds of the season.

This story, in fact, has become as much a part of the team’s narrative as Jennings’ breakout season or Wally Buono’s return to the sidelines, and that’s unfortunate. But the most troubling part about the Lions’ travails is there’s no quick and easy solution to their attendance problems because there are so many layers to their attendance problems.

“Part of it was lack of exciting football,” Buono said on Thursday at the Lions practice facility in Surrey. “Part of it was probably cost. Part of it is our main fan base is starting to age. Part of it is the accessibility of our games is greater.

“When you start putting all that stuff into a stew, you’re not going like the stew. We have to face reality.”

Even if that reality bites.

Buono, of course, has directed a resurgence in the Lions this year and it should be celebrated in this province. You’ve got the winningest coach in CFL history returning after a four-year hiatus and, at age 66, transforming the team. You’ve got the Lions playing an exciting, wide-open brand of football.

I mean, if this was the States, they’d already have a statue of Buono built in front of B.C. Place or, at the very least a street named after him. But in rejecting the team, this market has also rejected the storied coach and therein lies a story.

Buono was asked if the Lions need a new face of the franchise; if they need a new look to attract new fans.

“Maybe,” he said. “I don’t know that. That’s not a question I can answer. If they need a different look, I’m fine with that. But I don’t think a different look is going to make a difference.”

This is a tricky one because, as Buono said, it’s hard to single out one problem as the root cause of the fans’ ennui. But it’s also fair to say a staleness has set in with the club, which also finds itself in limbo right now.

Look, David Braley saved this franchise and likely saved the CFL when he stepped up in the late ’90s. But the Lions have also been for sale, more or less, for the last three, four years and that kind of uncertainty doesn’t breed consumer confidence.

Braley, moreover, isn’t exactly at the cutting edge of modern marketing concepts and the Lions are run on a tight budget. Team president Dennis Skulsky, for his part, was prepared to step away from his office this year but returned when Braley suffered a health setback this spring.

So add it all up and this is what you get. Braley, who has few ties to this province outside of the Lions, has been the owner for 20-plus years. Buono has been here for 13 years. Skulsky is in his seventh year. That’s a long time to be staring at the same faces.

Buono said a change wouldn’t make any difference and, as far as the football product, he’s probably right. But a local owner with roots in the Lower Mainland — and you still hear Robert Bosa’s name there — would make a difference. A dynamic president who could sell the game would make a difference. A new face in football ops would make a difference.

Right now, Geroy Simon is quietly serving his apprenticeship but the Lions have to increase his profile in the organization or risk losing him. You sense that’s the long-term plan but, given the current state of things, the timeline for that plan might be accelerated.

Buono’s contract runs through 2017 and he’ll be back to coach next year. But what about a front office that has a new president, Buono in a consulting role, Simon as the GM and estimable Neil McAvoy as VP of football ops with George Chayka running the business side of things and increased role for former Lion Jamie Taras?

That would represent change, not crazy change, but certainly a new look and a fresh start. Don’t know if that will make a difference. Do know it couldn’t hurt.

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